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Swap hearty eggplant for lasagna noodles and enjoy a delicious, Low-Carb Lasagna that’s cheesy and nutritious. The best part is that it cooks in the crockpot, with hardly any prep work, so dinner is a breeze.
This low-carb lasagna recipe uses eggplant as an alternative to lasagna noodles. It’s packed with protein from the ground chicken and cottage cheese in the filling like my healthy skillet lasagna recipe.
This version cooks in the crockpot so you can enjoy a meal at the end of the day without waiting. This is the perfect meal when you’re craving a comforting and decadent lasagna that’s higher protein, but don’t want all the carbs and extra calories.
If you like low-carb Italian recipes, you will love my Healthy Lasagna Soup and Ground Turkey Spaghetti!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Slow Cooker Meal That’s Good for You: Who doesn’t love a crockpot meal?! They take so much of the work out of preparing dinner, but they’re not always healthy. This crockpot low-calorie lasagna uses lean chicken and vegetables to keep the calories low and the nutrition high. It’s the perfect healthy slow cooker comfort meal.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: Since this low-carb lasagna doesn’t use pasta, it’s naturally gluten-free.
- Packed with Protein: This high protein lasagna uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese to pack in the protein. Thanks to the combination of ground chicken, cottage cheese, and egg, this dish has over 27 grams of protein.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: This lean ground meat is the perfect addition to a healthier lasagna because it’s high in protein but lower in fat and calories. You could also use ground turkey or lean ground beef to maintain similar nutrients in your meal.
- Eggplant: Not only does eggplant taste great in Italian dishes, but it’s also full of fiber and great for you. It’s the perfect low-carb substitute for lasagna noodles.
- Low-fat Cottage Cheese: If you’ve been wanting to add extra protein to your diet, cottage cheese is a great way to sneak it in. It’s an excellent substitute for ricotta in many pasta dishes.
- Egg: An egg will help bind the ground chicken and cottage cheese filling while also adding additional protein to the low-carb lasagna.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite low-carb marinara sauce in this layered pasta. You can even use my healthy tomato sauce made from scratch.
- Mozzarella Cheese: It’s not lasagna without a layer of melty mozzarella on top! Use a low-moisture block of mozzarella instead of fresh, as this dish already has plenty of moisture.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Make It Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free cottage cheese and dairy-free mozzarella to make this delicious high-protein lasagna dairy-free too!
- Try Low-Carb Alternatives: If eggplant isn’t your thing, you can use low-carb pasta instead.
- Add More Veggies: You can never have enough vegetables! This dish tastes amazing with chopped mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, or spinach mixed in with the meat, cheese, and sauce. You can also try my veggie-packed high-protein vegetarian lasagna if you want to skip the meat.
- Make It Keto-Friendly: This recipe has a bit too many carbs from the cottage cheese to be a true keto lasagna, but if you cut the cottage cheese in half and replace it with ricotta, it will significantly reduce the carbs making it keto friendly. Keep in mind, this substitution will also reduce the protein.
How to Make Low-Carb Lasagna
While this lower-carb lasagna does cook in the crockpot, it also requires a bit of prep work. You’ll need to broil the eggplant before assembling the lasagna, so be sure to prep a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to a high broil or 500°F.
- Step 1: Broil the Eggplant. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife to slice the eggplant into thin slices. Place the slices on your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Broil the eggplant for 5-10 minutes until the tops are slightly browned, then remove them from the oven and remove any excess moisture by patting them with a paper towel.
- Step 2: Prepare the Meat and Cheese Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the uncooked ground chicken, cottage cheese, red onion, egg, and seasonings. You can stir the ingredients to fully incorporate them together or mix them with your hands.
- Step 3: Add Marinara to the Crockpot. Spray the bottom of your crockpot with cooking spray, then add ¼ cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker to help prevent sticking.
- Step 4: Assemble the Lasagna. Place a layer of eggplant over the marinara sauce. Then top that with ⅓ of the chicken mixture, followed by ½ cup of marinara sauce. Repeat this pattern 2 times.
- Step 5: Top with Mozzarella. Finally, top the last layer of marinara sauce with mozzarella cheese.
- Step 6: Cover and Cook. Secure the lid on your crockpot and cook it on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. The lasagna is done when the eggplant is tender and easy to cut through. You can discard any excess liquid. Let the lasagna rest and set for 15 minutes before slicing it into 6 equal servings.
Expert Tips
- Reduce Excess Moisture: You must salt and broil the eggplant to cook off the moisture; otherwise, this low-carb lasagna will turn into a soupy mess. It’s not a long process and cannot be skipped.
- Low and Slow is Best: While you can cook this lasagna on high, I’ve found that cooking it longer on low renders a more tender eggplant and the best texture.
- Let It Rest: After you turn off your crockpot and remove the lid, let the lasagna sit for about 10-15 minutes. This helps it reabsorb some of the moisture and makes it easier to cut and maintain its structure.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the dish in the microwave in 60-second intervals until it is heated through. You can also heat them in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Save yourself some prep time in the morning and slice your eggplant the night before. You can slice it and store it in the fridge overnight, then pop it under the broiler in the morning when you assemble the lasagna.
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot healthy lasagna recipe is the perfect low-carb comfort meal! It makes for a great weeknight dinner or enjoy it for a Sunday supper with family. It’s bursting with the traditional flavors you know and love, but it is more nutritious. It’s the perfect meal on its own, or pair it with a salad or low-carb side dish to feed a crowd.
- This Italian chopped salad with low-calorie Italian dressing is the perfect side for a hearty lasagna. It’s light, fresh, and tastes amazing.
- If you just can’t enjoy cheesy “pasta” dishes without a slice of bread, try making this gluten-free, low-carb cauliflower bread to go with it. It’s perfect for soaking up that extra marinara sauce!
- Don’t skip dessert! These low-carb chocolate chip cookies are rich, buttery, and the perfect sweet treat after this delicious meal.
Low-Carb Lasagna Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You’ll still need to broil your eggplant first, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Assemble the lasagna the same way in a 9”x13” baking dish and cover it with foil. Bake it covered for 35-45 minutes, then uncover it and bake it for an additional 10-15 minutes to let the top of the cheese brown. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes, then slice it up and serve.
I don’t recommend using zucchini for this crockpot lasagna because it doesn’t hold its structure. If you don’t like eggplant and want a zucchini alternative, try my stovetop skillet lasagna instead!
You need to add oil and a thin layer of marinara sauce to the bottom of the crockpot to avoid sticking and burning. If it’s still a problem, you can increase the amount of marinara in the bottom from ¼ cup to ½ cup to increase the barrier between the bottom of the pan and the eggplant.
More Healthy Low Carb Meals
If you tried this Low Carb Lasagna recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Low-Carb Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken, or lean ground meat of choice
- 1 Eggplant
- 16 oz Low Fat Cottage Cheese, I use Lactaid
- 1 Egg
- ¼ cup Red Onion, diced
- 16 oz Marinara Sauce, no salt added
- ½ cup Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ tablespoon Dried Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a high broil (500 F). Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the ends off the eggplant then thinly slice it using a mandoline or knife. Place the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Broil the eggplant 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and pat with paper towels to remove any liquid remaining. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken (uncooked), cottage cheese, red onion, dried parsley and egg. Stir to incorporate the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spray the inside of a crockpot with cooking spray. Place 1/4 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan. It won't seem like much, but it's all you need.
- Place a layer of eggplant over the marinara sauce. Over the eggplant, place 1/3 of the chicken mixture followed by 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce. Repeat this process for 2 more layers. They will be thick. Top the last layer with the remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Cook the lasagna in the crockpot on high 3 hours or low 6 hours. You will know the lasagna is finished if you can cut into the eggplant and it's nice and tender. You should expect to see liquid in the crockpot from the eggplant. The liquid can be discarded after making.
- Slice into 6 equal pieces and serve warm.
Notes
- Slice the eggplant the day before making your lasagna and store it in the refrigerator overnight. This helps reduce prep time and gives the eggplant extra time to dry out.
- The eggplant is more tender and has a better texture if you cook this lasagna on low for 6-8 hours instead of on high for less time.
- Don’t skip adding marinara sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker. It helps prevent the eggplant and cheese from sticking to the bottom and burning.
- If you prefer, you can brown the chicken in a skillet before step 4.
- Store the lasagna in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 1 week. This will not store well in the freezer due to the moisture from the eggplant which will make the lasagna soggy and dilute the flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I stumbled across this recipe and it was very good!
This is so good! It will definitely be made on repeat! Thank you!
Made this for my family last night and we all loved it so much!
Can this be done in the oven.
I assume it could be done in the oven. I have not tried it myself. If I were to try, I would do it at 350 F in a 9×13-inch pan and bake covered 35-45 minutes until the veggies are tender then bake another 10 minutes uncovered.
Is there any alternative to the cottage cheese. My BIL cannot have dairy.
You can try using HIGH PROTEIN Kite Hill dairy free yogurt. But…the problem is you cannot omit the cheese in this recipe otherwise it will be a soupy mess. This Paleo sweet potato casserole would be a diary free alternative: https://skinnyfitalicious.com/paleo-turkey-sweet-potato-casserole/
Do you have to cook the chicken before putting it in the crockpot?
No, the crockpot cooks it.
To be clear do you brown the chicken before you add it to the lasagna?
No, you do not.
I love eggplant but my father does not. Is there a replacement you can suggest of the eggplant? I was thinking maybe speghetti squash, cook it first and than use that as a layer?
Cooked spaghetti squash might work. It may not hold together as well as the eggplant and be runny. The eggplant has the flat texture of a traditional lasagna so you can slice it nicely without being runny. I would try using more zucchini. You will have more liquid at the bottom of your slow cooker, but I think it might hold together better.
I live in the Phoenix Valley too….and avoid going outside as much as possible during summer. Today was the first time going out to car didn’t make me miserable, lol. When walking on a treadmill, I find having a good audiobook to listen to helps me pass the time. But it HAS to be a good book so I get lost in it and time flies.
LOL I still think it’s funny your fasted walking half marathon time is faster than my running time. Thank god for Orange Theory and boot camp classes. The HEAT omg I can’t handle it, today was 80 when we left for a walk which felt so much better. the lows get lower this week so it won’t be so hot in the morning… maybe I’ll start running/jogging again… IDK !
I feel like running isn’t worth it. So hard on your joints! After I had my hip replacement I’m much more aware of the things that wear my body down. At least with walking, you know you’re not being so tough on your body. I hear ya on the heat!